Under Orders of Silence is a modern and deeply emotional reimagining of the biblical Book of Job, set against the backdrop of institutional injustice, grief, and faith in a fractured world. The novel follows Malik Rosario, a former soldier turned community leader and principal, whose life crumbles under political, societal, and deeply personal weight. As his school is dismantled, his reputation smeared, and his family torn by tragedy, Malik is forced to confront not only public betrayal but also divine silence. This is a tale about endurance—not just of suffering but of love, dignity, and truth in a world that seems determined to erase them.

The writing is poetic without being overdone, tender and furious in equal measure. Author Quinton Taylor-Garcia doesn’t just describe pain, he walks you through it, sits you down with it, forces you to feel it. The pacing is slow in parts, but it’s the kind of slow that lets heartbreak settle into your bones. Malik’s voice is quiet but sharp, filled with dignity even as the world strips it from him. And Imani—his wife—feels so real, so raw. The book doesn’t chase resolution. It honors uncertainty, like Job did, and that makes it sting all the more.

The ideas in this book wrestle with the big ones—God, truth, systemic oppression, grief, legacy—but they’re delivered in such relatable and grounded ways that it never feels like a lecture. Taylor-Garcia plays with silence in stunning ways. Not just literal silence, but the silence of institutions, the silence of faith under pressure, the silence between loved ones too broken to speak. There’s so much rage simmering under the surface, but it’s channeled into something graceful. I did struggle with the density in a few sections, especially during the longer philosophical dialogues, but even then, the language remained evocative. And there’s this underlying heartbeat of hope that, somehow, never dies.

If you’ve ever lost something and didn’t know how to scream about it, this book will find you. I would recommend Under Orders of Silence to readers who love literary fiction rooted in faith, justice, and emotional truth—fans of James Baldwin, Jesmyn Ward, or even Toni Morrison will feel at home here. This is for the ones who sit in silence but still get back up. Who still believe, even when belief hurts.

Pages: 150 | ASIN : B0F775SQ3C